Does a Disconnect Occur Between Research and Practice for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Diagnostic Procedures?

Abstract

Diagnostic assessment recommendations for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) include the use of daily symptom monitoring for two consecutive menstrual cycles; however, it is unclear whether medical providers use this established procedure in practice. This study explored typical diagnostic procedures for PMDD among a sample of physicians (N = 87) who were recruited by mail and completed questions about current practices. Results indicated that only 11.5% of physicians in this sample reported routinely using 60-day symptom monitoring, and only 18.4% of physicians reported regular use of any type of daily symptom monitoring. No differences were observed in these procedures based on frequency of contact with patients with PMDD or physician type (obstetrics and gynecology [OB/GYN] or family medicine). Overall, these results indicated that it is important to establish standard assessment methods for PMDD that have clinical utility for physicians, as well as increase awareness of research-based practice in diagnosing PMDD.